Sarajevo: Conclusion of the Democratic Transition Conference and the Announcement of the Establishment of the Arab Democrats Network

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Sarajevo – 08/10/2023

 

The “Democratic Transition in the Arab World: Roadmap” conference, organized by the Arab Council Foundation in the city of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, concluded on Sunday.

The conference’s activities on Sunday included workshops with the participation of a select group of Arab intellectuals, researchers, politicians, and media figures.

The intellectual workshop addressed the intellectual challenges facing the crystallization of the democratic project in the region, the intellectual changes that have affected the concept of genuine democracy in the Arab world, and ways to build a model that balances representative democracy with direct democracy in a manner that suits the Arab nations and peoples.

The political and developmental workshop focused on the challenges of democracy and the necessary economic reforms to build a genuine democratic governance in the Arab region. It emphasized the essential conditions for building a democratic model capable of achieving a sustainable balance between political freedoms, social justice, and economic development in the region.

The media workshop discussed how the media can contribute to the promotion of democracy and the creation of public opinion in its favor. It also explored ways to harness technological advancements in media for the development of Arab media, in addition to methods for fostering coordination and collaboration among media outlets.

One of the key goals of the conference was to establish a network of Arab democrats. The workshop dedicated to this project discussed mechanisms for networking among Arab democratic activists and political, social, and civil forces advocating for democracy, facilitating the exchange of experiences and struggles.

Following the workshops, the closing statement “Sarajevo Declaration” was issued, affirming that “the democratic system alone is capable of building a state of law and institutions that serve its people, who enjoy justice and freedom.”

 

The text of the declaration is as follows:

We, the citizens of the Arab world,

• In honor of the brave martyrs who sacrificed their lives for freedom and dignity in the squares of change during the Arab Spring revolutions and the preceding and subsequent struggles.
• In acknowledgment of our responsibility toward the victims of tyranny, prisoners of conscience, rights violated, and those who suffer from oppression.
• Recognizing the challenges our Arab region faces, trapped between the hammer of tyranny and the anvil of populism, as the global democratic model recedes.
• Believing in our people’s ability to achieve liberation, freedom, dignity, democracy, and development through strong will, relentless struggle, and solidarity among the free.
• Fulfilling our duty toward future generations, who deserve an inheritance of a secure, bright future, stable, flourishing homelands, and an increase in the values of dignity, freedom, and democracy.
• Convinced that only the democratic system can build a state of law and institutions that serve its people, who enjoy justice and freedom.
• Believing that only democratic countries have the capability to create a unified Arab space that fulfills the aspirations of Arab peoples for unity and eases the lives of millions of Arabs.
• Recognizing that tyranny, whether it be the old, rigid form or the new, shallow populism, offers no prospects other than further drowning our people in poverty and oppression, division, and conflict.
• Knowing that only mature, strong democracies can confront the major transformations shaping the destiny of humanity today, such as climate change and artificial intelligence.

declare the following principles at the conclusion of the “Democratic Transition in the Arab World: Roadmap” conference held on October 7-8, 2023, in the city of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a city known for its beauty, hospitality, and rich history:

 

First: The establishment of a network of Arab democrats that brings together advocates for democracy from all Arab countries, regardless of their age, intellectual backgrounds, or political affiliations. This horizontal network aims to coordinate among Arab democratic activists and visionary individuals armed with free thought and positive values. The network’s purpose is to empower democracy across the region and promote its culture among various segments of the Arab population. The Arab Democrats Network also seeks to build bridges and relationships and forge alliances with all democratic forces in the region and the world, to counteract authoritarian and populist tendencies and influence the regional system, which seeks to hinder the democratic transition process, clinging to short-term, selfish interests.

 

Second: The adoption of a clear roadmap designed to support and accelerate the democratic transition process in the region, moving it away from emotional reactions, victimization, and impromptu responses to more constructive initiatives, strategic strategies, and informed plans. This includes uniting Arab elites, securing the consensus of Arab political forces on democratic principles, while acknowledging the right to political program diversity and ideological affiliations, and ensuring access to governance through free and fair elections. This also entails formulating major structural and institutional reforms in politics, economics, and society, as well as innovating solutions to the significant challenges facing our countries and our nation, not only in the realm of rights but also in areas like climate change, energy, demographic shifts, and technological advancements.

 

Third: A collective commitment to work together through all peaceful means, whether political, intellectual, legal, or media-related, to achieve victory for the Arab democratic project. This involves countering the alliance of tyranny, corruption, and subservience in the region, embodying the interconnectedness of paths in Arab countries and realizing the unity of destiny among Arab peoples. It calls for a substantial effort to educate the new generations in peaceful resistance, change strategies, conditions and mechanisms, good governance, social justice, civil participation, popular mobilization, and building leadership capabilities using modern technologies. Thus, the new generations will be prepared to take the torch and fulfill the aspirations of their fathers and the dreams of their ancestors.

 

We invite the honorable people of our nation and its democratic forces to join us in the “Arab Democrats Network,” unify their efforts with us, build on common ground, and set aside differences in order to secure the conditions for success in the upcoming battles to revive stalled or lost democratic pathways. We are all determined to invest effort, harness energies, and make sacrifices to turn the page of tyranny, corruption, and subservience in our homelands in the near future, achieving the principle of free and honorable citizenship in our countries and establishing effective integration among our Arab people, based on freedom, dignity, and democracy.